Ostapenko’s Doubles Play Fuels Her Drive for Singles Success

By Erik Gudris | @atntennis | Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Photo credit: Charleston Tennis LLC

Jelena Ostapenko is thriving as both a singles and doubles player across various tournaments.

Remarkably, her doubles ranking of World No. 4 currently surpasses her singles ranking of World No. 25 this season. The 27-year-old Latvian, known for her stunning win at the 2017 Roland Garros, is determined to pursue even greater accolades in singles play.

On Wednesday, she made a strong statement at the WTA 500 Credit One Charleston Open by defeating Louisa Chirico with a score of 7-5, 6-2, advancing to the third round.

Jelena Ostapenko moves on to R3 over Louisa Chirico 75 62. #CharlestonOpen pic.twitter.com/Rdr9ZTHBgt

— Erik Gudris (@ATNtennis) April 2, 2025
 

This victory broke a frustrating four-match singles losing streak for Ostapenko, which dated back to her runner-up finish in Doha earlier this year, where she faced Amanda Anisimova in the final.

Later that day, Ostapenko partnered with Erin Routliffe, the top seeds, to secure a spot in the doubles semifinals with an exciting 7-5, 6-3 win over Ekaterina Alexandrova and Hao-Ching Chan.

“Playing doubles is an excellent way to gain experience; it’s another match opportunity. Sometimes, it’s challenging to transition your practice skill to match play. I enjoy partnering with skilled doubles players,” Ostapenko reflected post-match.

The Latvian talent has seen considerable success in doubles, highlighted by reaching the finals at the Australian Open alongside Su-Wei Hsieh, where they narrowly lost to champions Taylor Townsend and Katarina Siniakova.

Ostapenko and Hsieh’s performance earned them admiration, as noted by Paul McNamee: “A mighty effort by Su Wei Hsieh & Jelena Ostapenko. We fought hard for the final…. missed the title, but that’s all you can ask for.”

Kudos to Su-Wei Hsieh & Jelena Ostapenko for reaching the final… while the trophy eluded us, our determination was unwavering. pic.twitter.com/BMVq892GWI

— Paul McNamee (@PaulFMcNamee) January 26, 2025
 

Following her time with various partners, Ostapenko intends to reunite with Hsieh for the upcoming clay events in Madrid and Rome, allowing them to prepare for Roland Garros.

Meanwhile, in singles, Ostapenko is gearing up to face defending champion Danielle Collins in the third round. The two have faced off before, and Ostapenko acknowledges their similar playing styles and personalities.

“We’ve played several times,” said Ostapenko about Collins. “She’s a tremendous player and has a vibrant personality. It will be a challenging match as we both play a powerful game, so expect some exciting rallies.”

Ostapenko appreciates Collins’ authentic nature, stating, “She’s genuine and true to herself, which I truly admire.”